INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ART PALESTINE

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Published February 2007
By Maria C. Khoury

As I walked down to leave the exquisite steps of the Academy of Art at the Aref Al Aref House, I could not help but notice little three year old Mohammad holding a huge professional camera, actually, almost bigger than he could handle and snapping away pictures of anything in site while the flash blinded me as I admired him in the darkness. All of a sudden I felt shy he was taking photos of my old, out of style, boots! His dad helped him hold the camera up because it was about to weigh him down. So, is Mohammad part of the artists of tomorrow whom the International Academy of Art is seeking to educate starting this September 2007? We are having an open application period right now but you must have passed Tawjihi!

This adorable child joined his mother Maysaa while his dad, Khaled Jarrar exhibited the telling photos of the Hawara checkpoint in Nablus. The International Academy of Art Palestine will host At the Checkpoint Photo Exhibition until March 5, 2007 while it opened February 20th with a successful event of over four hundred people. I was so excited about this exhibition and so happy talking to journalists that I forgot to go to the checkpoint myself in order to return home thus Bet El closed at 8 pm while I am still asking Khaled Jarrar what is the most important aspect of the photo exhibit.

Khaled found people very excited about the idea of photos revealing the checkpoint phenomenon. The most important aspect for him is to convey the message of suffering of Palestinian people, old and young. Khaled’s aim is to display this daily suffering caused by soldiers and from the conditions of the checkpoints and to convey there is no security reason for this pain and torment. This is pure occupation reflected in every day life.

Khaled Jarrar began to think of exhibiting the photos at a gallery when so many people emailed him and communicated with him that they wish to see the photos but could not come to the Hawara checkpoint where he initially exhibited the photos in early February. He began to think how to make the photos more reachable for people. Thus Khaled Jarrar began his big dream to exhibit his photos in as many locations as possible having invitations from Spain, France, not to mention March 6th the exhibition will go to Birzeit and March 17th at the Qalandia checkpoint.

Although as a graphic artist the idea of taking photos was a hobby, Khaled Jarrar began to think of taking professional photos of the Hawara checkpoint after continually having to spend over three hours each time he visited his sister in Nablus. “I love taking pictures,” says Khaled. “Sometimes the pictures are of horses, nature, birds but crossing Hawara checkpoint and seeing how soldiers make life miserable for old people, I started to take pictures one by one.” A professional photojournalist, Abbas Moumany, helped Khaled decide which photos to select for the Checkpoint Photo Exhibition.

According to Khaled Jarrar, who grew up in Jenin, the only difference between exhibiting the photos at the International Academy of Art Palestine and the Hawara checkpoint is that at the Academy, “people see the tragedy inside the pictures only but in Hawara you see the tragedy in front of you.” The participant feedback during the opening was very positive, very exciting and some participants wrote that the photos were: “dramatic, sensitive, beautiful” Accused of being political by possible sponsors, Khaled said he thought his photos were not political at all but a mere reflection of how we live. The International Academy of Art Palestine is the space for artists to express and to develop their skill in using art as a powerful tool to communicate and be part of the global art movement. Thus we welcomed Khaled Jarrar with his beautiful family and photos in open arms with the generosity of our sole supporter in the academy project, the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The International Academy of Art Palestine will host this exhibition until March 5th, daily from 9 am to 4 pm, closed Fridays and Sundays.

Editor’s Note: The academy project is seeking a donor to name the white cube room helping establish an endowment fund for long term sustainability.